Apple’s next-gen iPhone could boast an even more capable optical zoom feature.
While the iPhone currently maxes out at 3x optical zoom, the rumor mill has it that the iPhone 15 Pro Max camera will feature a so-called “periscope lens” that would allow for up to double the optical zoom.
Last July, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said a periscope lens would be exclusive to the high-end iPhone 15 Pro Max and enable 5-6x optical zoom. Periscope technology would be built into the Telephoto lens and allow for up to 6x zoom when shooting photos with the rear camera, without any blurriness or reduction in image quality.
With a periscope lens, light absorbed by the image sensor is bent of “folded,” which allows for a greater distance between the camera elements within the compact design of a smartphone. The technology is already present by some Android brands like Samsung, Google, and Huawei, with phones like the Pixel 7 Pro and Galaxy S23 Ultra offering between 5x and 10x optical zoom.
Such a feature would also present a significant camera upgrade for the iPhone, although it’s unknown whether this feature will appear in this year’s iPhone 15 Pro Max or next year’s iPhone 16 Pro Max.
Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 15 lineup in September.
Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.
Via MacRumors